The Arxanti had lived on the planet before Ba'al brought his slaves to this world, but had subsequently been driven off to various cities on other continents when Ba'al's slaves claimed the world for themselves. When the Kinahhi, centuries after driving Ba'al away, attempted to claim an Ancient city called Lindah for themselves, they accidentally activated what appeared to be a biological defense system designed to kill anyone who was not an Ancient or at least possessed the Ancient gene, causing the Kinahhi government to dub the Arxanti the Mahr’bal literally "upholders of Ba’al" and establish the sheh-fet as a means of maintaining order. However, after a decade passed with no sign of further attack or conflict, the government began to stage false terrorist attacks to justify their continued presence.

Although oppressed, the Arxanti lived in hope thanks to a prophecy which stated that "Salvation will come from beyond the stars, when the angels return." This prophecy was fulfilled when, tapping into the sheh-fet, the Arxanti learned of the arrival of the One; Dan'yel Jak'sun, a man who had walked among the angels and thus knew them better than anyone else could ever know them. When the Arxanti linked Daniel up to the sheh-fet, he was able to transmit his unique insight and knowledge of the Ancients into the minds of everyone currently connected to the sheh-fet, Jack O’Neill subsequently releasing them from the sheh-fet thanks to his more powerful Ancient gene granting him superior control over the system. With the former prisoners of the sheh-fet now free, and with Daniel's knowledge of their former enemy available to guide them in creating a new society, SG-1 departed. (SG1: "A Matter of Honor", "The Cost of Honor")